Sifu attracted much pre-release buzz for its cinematic and martial arts action. Coming from the indie studio Sloclap, it gives players the kind of melee skills usually reserved for the likes of Jackie Chan and Jason Bourne.
But while Sifu delivers sleek, fast-paced kung-fu fights on swords, it's much more than mindless pummeling. Its combat is accessible, but also layered with plenty of depth and strategic nuances, putting the game squarely in the "easy to learn, hard to master" category. Throw in a roguelike progression system, a stylized visual presentation, and a revenge story, and Sifu's crushing encounters barely scratch the surface of what you can expect from the full package.
Gameplay
Sifu is first and foremost a martial arts action game. By mixing light and heavy attacks, players can deliver almost non-stop defeats to an endless parade of underworld thugs. The polished, lightning-fast mechanics are as good as they get. Every punch, kick and weapon strike hits with a weight that perfectly reflects the brutal impacts unfolding onscreen.
The structure bar, a meter that slowly fills up as you successfully attack an enemy, also adds depth to the game. When the gauge reaches full capacity, your target becomes vulnerable, often to the point where you can finish them off with a cinematic touch. But this works both ways, as the player also has a structure bar, which enemies can exploit with clever attacks. Monitoring your structure and making sure it doesn't dip into the danger zone is just as important as filling your enemies' structure bars.
Sifu's layered and fine-tuned punches are great when you're fighting a single threat, but the adrenaline really kicks in when you've faced enough enemies to make John Wick nervous. More often than not, you'll find yourself outnumbered, with entire rooms filled with henchmen eager to get you ready for a body bag. At these times, you will need to not only isolate and eliminate the biggest threats, but also use the environment to your advantage. Pinballing around rooms while punks with bottles and furniture set up, essentially choreographing their own fight scenes in real time, is an absolute blast.
These dynamic encounters can get a little chaotic, especially when the game's camera can't keep up with the frantic action. You can slow things down a bit, though, with focus moves. These consumption bars build up over time and deliver devastating slow-motion attacks that put some welcome distance between you and your attackers. Utilizing stronger weapons like bats, blades, and pipes can also help clear a crowded room.
Death and Aging
Sifu's combat is as challenging as it is deep, but still manages to feel quite accessible. Where the game feels a little less accessible is in its roguelike progression system. It's a game that encourages players to try again and again until they get good – or run out of patience.
The protagonist carries a magical pendant, granting them the ability to revive after death. Returning from the other side spawns you where you left off, but with a little less health and the ability to deal a little more damage. More importantly, you come back older. Each death equals one year of aging. After dying five times, for example, you'll return five years older, complete with longer, grayer hair.
The problem is, you can age a lot before the pendant wears out, and death kicks you right back to the start of whatever stage you've reached. In my first race, for example, I started the second chapter at the advanced age of 72. Confronting a bouncer – who denied me access to a club – as a senior citizen was fantastic. On the other hand, there was no way to make any significant progress at that point without starting from scratch. Even so, when I finally faced off against the same arrogant 23-year-old gatekeeper, I appreciated the appeal of the player punishment progression system.
There are also a number of smart wrinkles to consider. Progress earns XP, which you can spend on new moves and abilities. You lose these skills when you die unless you save enough points to permanently unlock them. You also retain any keystrokes or shortcut items, giving you a small head start on future runs. These two elements, combined with the fact that you generally become more skilled with each repetition, give you enough incentive – and hope – to keep your fists and feet flying.
Make no mistake: while the game isn't everyone's cup of tea, it puts a new spin on the roguelike and beat-'em-up genres. It's also forgiving enough that, when combined with the utterly absorbing combat, it can draw in players who might not otherwise consider taking on such a difficult challenge.
Sifu Review: Setting, Story, and Characters
Sifu's other elements usually take a backseat to the face breaking action. But everything else, from the revenge-fuelled story to the seedy environments, does more than enough to serve that focus. There's a fun Kill Bill-style flavor to the main objective, which sees your protagonist hunting down a colorful team of assassins.
Some welcome narrative nuggets also appear via collected items that live on a “Detective Board”. In addition to building up some backstories and backstories, these items — including posters, flyers, and trinkets — can help create shortcuts. These collectibles also build an engaging and permanent lineup, as the frame's contents remain intact no matter how often you encounter an untimely death.
Verdict
Sifu's combat delivers the kind of kinetic thrills we've seen in many action movies but rarely get in games. Its dynamic, crushing encounters are worth the price of admission, even if your camera occasionally gives the immersion a kick.
While the visceral fights are enthralling, gamers wanting a more traditional action/adventure title might be put off by the demanding and repetitive progression system. The dying and aging mechanic is by no means a deciding factor. In fact, the system is intrinsically part of Sifu's structure and pacing, offering a fresh take on both beat-'em-ups and roguelikes.
Final thoughts
If you don't mind the grind, Sifu is a no-brainer for martial arts fans wanting a movie-style romp. But even though roguelikes typically have you running for the hills, this smart and stylish brawler's rewarding combat might just be enough to make you a believer.
